Family of young man killed in university glass roof collapse seek tough penalty

Harrowing vision of a glass rooftop collapse in which a young carpenter died at Curtin University in Perth has been released by the courts.

It comes as the family of Jonathan Hartshorn fights for the company responsible to face the toughest penalty possible.

The 23-year-old fell 20 metres to his death in 2020 when the roof collapsed.

The footage released on Thursday by Western Australian courts begins with the seconds before the deadly construction site disaster, with workers unaware of the danger above until it’s too late.

Panel by panel, the glass roof comes crumbling down, shards showering those below.

Hartshorn had been helping install the roof when tragedy struck.

Three other people were also seriously injured.

Fabrication company Elsdon has admitted responsibility six years after the incident.

The court heard the collapse was caused by defective welding on steel trusses, which had been welded off-site and not supervised by any qualified person from the company.

The hearing was little comfort to Hartshorn’s heartbroken family.

“I really don’t care that they pleaded guilty at the last minute, they should have done it before,” mother Susan Chappell said.

“It’s really a nightmare that we have to face every day.”

The company pleaded guilty to a charge of failing to ensure the safety or health of a person who is not an employee.

Hartshorn’s family is pushing for the maximum penalty of a $2 million fine. The fabrication company is due to be sentenced in a matter of weeks.